Heel seat fitting machines



Feb. 20, 1962 H. G. SHAW HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 I L ..L

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HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 24, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 20, 1962 H. e. SHAW HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 H. G. SHAW HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Feb. 20, 1962 7 Shets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 Feb. 20, 1962 H. G. SHAW HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 1962 H. cs. SHAW 3,021,541

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 24, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet e Feb. 20, 1962 H. e. SHAW HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 .ited States This invention relates to heel scat fitting machines, it being an object of the invention to render a prior heel seat fitting machine such as is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,215,524, granted September 24, 1940 on an application filed in the name of George Hazelton, more productive and less fatiguing on the operator.

With the foregoing object in view the illustrative machine is provided with power means, which is responsive to the closing of a manually operated switch, for opening a heel measuring gage -to allow a heel to be inserted in said gage and for simultaneously therewith moving crease plates, clamp members, presser members and a back gage of the machine to retractable positions, and mechanism including resilient means, for example, one or more springs which, when the switch is opened, are operative to allow said mechanism to move the crease plates, clamp members, presser members and back gage to predetermined positions determined by stops which are operatively connected to the heel gage and are set in difierent positions in accordance with the length and the width of the heel measured in said gage. The switch is arranged adjacent to the heel gage so that the operator with one hand may close the switch, which is of the normally open type, and simultaneously therewith drop the heel into or remove the heel irom said gage.

The present invention consists in the above features and in novel features hereinafter described, reference be- 1 ing had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the same, selected for purposes of illnstration, said invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

in the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a front view of the illustrative machine partly broken away and partly in section on the line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing crease plates, clamp members and presser members of the machine together with portions of mechanism for moving these parts into different adjusted positions lengthwise of the machine in accordance with the length of a heel in a heel measuring gage of said machine;

FIG. 4 shows an upper left side portion of the heel measuring gage of the machine and portions of mechanism through which said gage is operated;

FIG. 5 shows, in perspective, the heel measuring gage of the machine and connections for setting in different adjusted positions a stop through which inward movement of sectors or carriers of the machine are limited;

FIG. 6 is a skeleton view showing connections between an abutment which measures the heel in the heel gage lengthwise and various slides through which the crease plates, the two rear clamp members, the four rear presser members and a counter or back gage are moved into different operative positions lengthwise of the machine in accordance with the setting of the abutment;

FIG. 7 is a wiring-fluid pressure diagram for use in illustrating the operation of the machine;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the rear end of a shoe the heel seat portion of the sole of which has been fitted for the reception of a heel by the use of the illustrative machine;

FIG. 9 is a side view of mechanism for controlling the operation of the machine;'

atent ice FIG. 10 shows in perspective. mechanism which is as.- sociated with the mechanism shown in FIG. 9 and is used in controlling of the operation of the machine;

FIG. 11 is a perspective. view showing, portions of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 9;, and

FIG. 12 is a rear view of a portion of the machine and shows a clutch which may be used for operating a power drive of the illustrative machine.

The illustrative heel seat fitting machine. is substantially identical with the prior heel seat fitting machine which is disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent 2,215,524 and has been improved, as will be hereinafter explained, to increase the output of said prior machine and to render it less fatiguing to the operator of the machine.

The illustrative machine is described with reference to reducing the heel seat portion 30 (FIG. 8) of an attached outsole 32 of a shoe 34 for the reception of a Louis heel 36 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 8), for example, and comprises a platen 4%) (FIGS. 2 and 3) comprising front and rear crease plates 42, 44' thin inner edges 46, 48 of which form an opening 50 generally U-shaped in outline. The illustrative machine is provided with a clamp comprising right and left pairs of clamp members 52, 54 (FIG. 1) and 56 adapted to force the margin of the heel seat portion iii? of the attached outsole 32 of the shoe 34 positioned on the platen against portions of the platen bordering the U-shaped opening 50, a pair of shoulder forming knives 72 which are movable inwardly from opposite sides of the attached outsole of the shoe to form heel breast receiving shoulders 74 (FIG. 8) on the outsole, a bulger 75 comprising right and left presser members 58, 60, 62, 64 and 66 for forcing the central part of the clamped heel seat portion 30 of theoutsolge 32 through the, U-

shaped opening 50 and below flat lower faces 68, 70 of the crease plates 42, 44 and a back'knife78 which is movable forwardly along a guideway 314 of a main frame 53 of the machine with its straight cutting edge in approximate engagement with the bottom flat faces 68, 70 of the crease plates 42, '44, to reduce the heel seat portion 3% of the outsole 32 and which cooperates with the shoulder forming knivesv 72 to form. a heel seat tab 82 (FIG.'8) the heel engaging face of which is slightly smaller than but generally complemental to the attaching face or" the heel 36 to be attached to the shoe.

In order to form upon the attached outsoles 32 of shoes 34 heel seat tabs 82 of difierent sizes and shapes in accordance with different sizes and styles of heels 36' to be attached to the shoes, it is desirable to change the shape of the U-shaped opening 50. Accordingly, associated pairs of front and rear crease plates 42, 44 are initially movable into different operating positions or settings toward and away from a central heightwise plane 86 of the machine to vary the width of the U-shaped opening 50 in accordance with the measured width of the heel 36 which is to be attached to the shoe and is positioned in a heel gage 88. The two rear crease plates 44 are initially movable into different adjusted positions or settings lengthwise of the U-shaped opening with relation to the front crease plates 42 to vary the length of the opening in accordance with the heel in the heel gage.

The shoe 34 is positioned widthwise and lengthwise respectively in the machine with the heel seat portion 3:0 of its attached outsole 32 overlying the platen 40, by a centralizing gage S7 and a back gage 89, the back gage being moved forwardly and rearwardly along a guideway 910i the frame 53 of the machine into different operative positions together with the rear crease plates 44 in accordance with the length of the heel 36 measured in the heel gage 38. l

In order that the right and left clamp members 52, 54 and 5 6 shall eflfectively force the margins of the heel seat portions 36 of attached outsoles of shoes against the 3 platen 40 and in order that the presser members 58, 60, 62, 64 and 66 shall efiectively force the central part of the heel seat portion of the outsole through the U-shaped opening 50, irrespective of the adjusted positions or settings of the front and rear crease plates 42, 44 of the platen and accordingly the shape of said opening, the clamp members 52 and the presser members 58, as will appear later, are adjustable widthwise of the U-shaped opening in accordance with the desired width of the opening and the clamp members 54, 56 and the presser members 60, 62, '64 and 66 are adjustable lengthwise and widthwise of the U-shaped opening in accordance with the desired width and length respectively of said opening.

Each of the front crease plates 42 is secured by screws 90 (FIG. 3) to a sector or carrier 92 upon which one of the shoulder forming knives 72, together with operating and guiding mechanism therefor, is mounted. The sectors 92 are movable toward and away from each other along transversely extended dovetail guides 94 (FIG. 1) of the machine frame and are pivoted to links 96 respectively which are pivoted to a rod 93 mounted for vertical movement in a guideway 106 of the main frame 53 of the machine.

The machine disclosed in Patent No. 2,215,524 is provided with a treadle (498) which is initially depressed to open up the heel gage 88, that is, to move an abutment 287 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6) of said gage rearward and arms 465 of the levers 466 of the gage outward, said abutment and arms, when the treadle (498) is released, being moved by spring action, as will appear later, into engagement with the rear and side faces respectively of the heel 36 in said gage whereby to measure the heel lengthwise and widthwise. The abutment 287 automatically sets a stop 616 in a position in which it receives the action of an arm 628 adapted to control the positions of the rear crease plates 44, the clamp members 54, 56 and the presser members 60, 62, 64 and 66 as well as the back gage 87 in their proper lengthwise settings as clearly disclosed in said Patent 2,215,524. The arms 465 which measure the bed 36 widthwise are movable equal distances toward and away from each other and the right of said arms (as .viewed from the front of the machine), through mechanism disclosed in said patent, controls the operating position of a stop 124 which limits the inward movement of the sectors or carriers 92 by reason of the fact that a screw 2% movable with this right sector engages said stop. It will be noted that the right and left sectors 92 slidingly carry respectively the right and left sets of rear crease plates 44, clamp members 52, 54 and 56 and presser members 58, 60, 62, 64 and 66 and accordingly the widthwise positions of the sectors determine the widthwise settings of these right and left sets of elements. The right and left sectors 92 are constantly urged toward each other through mechanism hereinafter described, by a spring 700 (FIG. 9) and inward movement of the sectors 92 acted on by the spring 700 (when there is a heel in the heel gage 88) is limited by the engagement of the abovementioned screw 290 carried by the right sector (as viewed from the front of the machine) with the stop 124, the movement of the sectors toward each other ceasing and accordingly, setting the groups of crease plates 42, 44,

clamps 5,2, 54 and 56 and presser members 53, 60, 62, 64

and 66 in their desired widthwise positions with relation to each other.

It will be noted that the front crease plates 42, the clamps 52 and the presser members 58 at all times maintain the same adjustment lengthwise of the U-shaped opening 50 or forwardly and rearwardly of the machine, the forward ends of these members being arranged generally in what is referred to as a fused heel breast line 426 (FIG. 3). The presser members 60, 62, 64 and 66 have initially imparted to them, to accommodate heels of difierent lengths, proportionate adjustments lengthwise of the U- shaped opening in accordance with the setting of the stop 616 as described in detail in said Patent 2,215,524.

The machine described in Patent 2,215,524 is also provided with a treadle (118) which is normally held raised in a rest or retracted position by a spring (122) and when depressed moves the carriers or sectors 92 equal distances toward one another against the action of the spring (122) into positions in which a screw (290) identical with the screw 29% engages a stop (124) identical with the present stop 124, the shoe, during this movement, being presented to the machine. Further depression of the treadle (118) causes, through mechanism described in detail in said Patent 2,215,524, a lever (225) to move counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 7 of said patent, thus causing the clamps (52, 54 and 56) initially to force the heel seat portion of the outsole against the crease plates (42, 44) preparatory to depressing a hand lever (228) to cause a two-revolution clutch 761 such as is illustrated in FIG. 12 to rotate a barrel cam (224) corresponding to a barrel cam 224 to operate the machine through one revolution for the purpose of operating shoulder forming knives (72) corresponding to the shoulder forming knives 72 whereby alternately to form the heel breast receiving shoulders (74). After the shoulder forming knives (72) have been withdrawn, the forward end of a power operated lever (212), corresponding to a present lever 2&2, is depressed thereby lowering the vertical slides (160), corresponding to present slides 160, which carry the front clamp members 52 and the front presser members 58 and which until this time have been held in their raised positions so as not to interfere with the movement of the shoulder forming the operator.

knives 72. As the vertical slides are depressed their abutment faces 309 (FIG. 2) engage the abutment faces 311 of carrier slides 178 with the result that during further downward movement of the slides 160 with the slides 178 the right and leftclamp members 52, 54, and 56 force the margin of the heel seat portion 36 of the outsole 32 with additional pressure against the crease plates 42, 44 and the right and left presser members 58, 6d, 62, 64 and 66 move downwardly as a unit until the central part of the heel seat portion of the outsole has been forced through the U-shaped opening 50 and below the flat lower faces 63, '70 of the front and rear crease plates 42, 44 respectively.

The back or tab forming knife 78 is then moved forwardly to trim the horeshoe-shaped piece of leather lying above the crease plates 42, 44 from the heel seat portion 39 of the outsole 32. The back knife 78 continues to move forwardly until its cutting edge intersects the cuts made by theshoulder forming knives 72 thereby forming the heel seat tab 82 which corresponds in length and width with the length and width respectively of the U-shaped opening 50. The back knife 78 is then retracted to its starting position and the vertical slides 160 are raised to their starting or rest positions. In the operation of the machine disclosed in Patent 2,215,524 the operator then removes his foot from the treadle (118) enabling the carrier slide (178) which is identical with the present carrier slide 178 to be raised and sectors (92) corresponding to the present sectors 92 to he moved to their starting positions by spring action. The treadle (498) is then depressed to remove the heel (36) from the heel gage (88).

it will be appreciated that the operation of the treadles (4'98) (118) and the hand lever (228) of the prior machine in carrying out the heel seat fitting operation consumes a substantial amount of time and is fatiguing upon With these considerations in view, the sectors 92 are normally urged toward each other with the action of the heavy spring 700 and other mechanism hereinafter described to closed positions, said closed positions when there is a heel in the heel gage 88 being determined as above explained by the engagement of the screw 290 with the stop 124. The present machine is provided with mechanism comprising a switch 704 (FIGS. 2 and 7) a plunger 705 of which is located adjacent the heel gage '83 and is engaged by the palm of the left-hand of the operator to move said plunger across terminals 707 of the switch as he places the heel 36 in the gage with said left-hand. The switch 704 is closed first to cause the sectors 92 to be moved equal distances away from each other against the action of the spring 700 to open positions and thereafter to cause the rear abutment 287 of the heel gage 88 to be moved rearward and the arms 465 of the side levers 466 to be moved equal distances outwardly or away from each other. Rearward movement of the abutment 287 and outward movement of the levers 466 may be terminated by the engagement of a pin 493 corresponding to the pin (493) disclosed in said Patent 2,215,524 with the rear end of a slot 709 (FIGS. 4 and 6) in the main frame 53 or, if desirable, rearward movement of the abutment may be limited by the engagement of the forward ends of recesses 502 (FIG. 5) of a slide 482 with hub portions of the levers 466 and outward movement of the levers 466 may be limited by the engagement of the inner end of a slot 494) of a slide bar 488 with a pin 491 which is secured to the main frame 53.

When the rear abutment 287 and the side arms 465 are operated the various clamps S4, 56, presser members 69, 62, 64 and 66 and-the rear crease plates 44 are displaced as disclosed in the machine described in Patent No. 2,215,524. As long as the operator holds the switch 764 closed by keeping the plunger 7 0S depressed the heel gage 83 will remain open, the operator during this time forcing the rear portion of the upper end of the heel against a spring biased centralizing slide 438 and lowering the heel onto a heel gage platform 428 positioned ad'- jacent to a breast gage 432 with the result that when the heel is released the centralizing slide moves forwardly by spring action to centralize the heel. The operator then releases the plunger 765 of the switch 794 with the result that the abutment 287 and the centralizing arms 465 are moved into measuring engagement with the heel 36 whereupon the stops 616 and 124 and accordingly the sectors 92, associated clamps, presser members, front and rear crease plates and the back gage are moved to their operating positions by mechanism described in detail in said Patent No. 2,215,524.

in the illustrative machine the lower end of the rod 98, which corresponds to the rod (98) of the machine disclosed in Patent 2,215,524, is operatively connected through a link 706 (FIG. 10) to a front arm 79% of a lever 71% journaled on a shaft 712 secured to the main frame 53. The lever 719 has a rear arm 714 pivotally connected to a housing 716 of a multipalt rod 713 the lower end of which is pivotally connected to an actuating lever 720 pivotally mounted on a bearing 722 secured to the main frame 53. The multipart rod 718 comprises a lower or shank portion, which has secured to it a head 724 slidable in the housing 716, and a spring 726 interposed between a bottom of the housing and said head.

lournaled on the shaft 712 is a multiarmed lever 728 an arm of which is operatively connected to a'rod 730 having in its lower end a slot 732 through which passes a pin 734 which pivotally connects the rod 718 to the actuating lever 72%) and is secured to said lever. Another arm of the lever 728 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a connecting rod 497 which corresponds to the connecting rod (497) of the machine disclosed in Patent 2,215,524 and which, through mechanism disclosed in detail in said patent and illustrated therein, is adapted to operate the heel gage abutment 287 and the arms 465 of the compound levers 466. The abutment 287 and the levers 46S serve to measure the heel in the heel gage 88 lengthwise and widthwise and, through mechanims disclosed in detail in said patent, are opened (that is the abutment 287 is moved rearward and the arms 365 are moved equal distances away from each other) in response to downward movement of the connecting rod 497. As is fully explained-in detail in said Patent 2,215,524, downward movement of the/connecting rod 497 operating through slides 192 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 6), which are constrained for rectilinear movement forwardly and rearwardly along guideways 136 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in upstanding bracket 13% secured to the sectors 92, causes forward movement of the clamps 54, 56, the members 66, 62, 64, and 66, the rear crease plates 44 and the back gage 89. As will appear later, when the actuating lever 726 is moved by the spring 796 to its rest position shown in FIG. 9, the rod 736 and the rod 497 operatively connected to it are allowed to be raised by the action of a spring 736 hereinafter referred to with the result that the abutment 287 and the arms 465 of the compound levers 466 are forced against the heel being measured in the heel gage 38.

The spring 736 is operatively connected to the lever 723 and to the rod 497 by a pin 738, the upper end of said spring being attached to the main frame 53, the construction and arrangement being such that the rod 497 is urged upwardly by the action of said spring until the heel has been measured lengthwise and widthwise in the heel gage.

The rear end of the actuating lever 720 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a piston rod 742 secured to a piston 744 vertically reciprocable in a cylinder 746 secured to the main frame 53, the spring 766 being attached to the piston rod and to the main frame and operating constantly to urge the piston downwardly and the actuating lever 720 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 9. Downward movement of the piston 744 in the cylinder 746 when there is no work in the machine may be limited by the engagement of the screw 296 carried by the right sector 92 with the stop 124 set by the heel gage 88.

Opening into a chamber 748 formed by the piston 744 and a bore of the cylinder 746 is a port 750, said cylinder having an exhaust port 752 near its upper end. Connecting the port 750 of the cylinder 746 and a port 754 (FIG. 7) of a valve 756 is a line 753 and slidable in a cylindrical housing 760 of the valve is a piston 762 which has secured to it a piston rod 764 and is constantly urged toward a face 766 of the cylindrical housing by a spring 768 opposite ends of which engage respectively the housing and the piston. Opening into a chamber 770 formed. by the piston 762 and the housing 760 of the valve 756 is a port 772 connected to a pressure line 774, a chamber 776 formed by the housing and the piston being open to an exhaust line 778. Associated with the valve 756 is a solenoid 780 comprising a coil 782 which is energized in response to the closing of a power circuit 784 in which the switch 764 is included. When the switch 704 is closed by the operator the coil 782 of the solenoid 780 is energized causing the piston 762 to move to its dash-line position shown in FIG. 7 and high pressure fluid in the line 774 to be available for the chamher 748 in the cylinder 746 with the result that the piston 744 is raised against the action of the spring 700 to swing the actuating lever 720 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9.

Pivotally mounted on the bearing shaft 722 is a treadle 786 which is constantly urged clockwise as viewed in FIG. 9 by a spring 788, said clockwise movement being limited by a stop screw 790 for example, adjustably supported by the main frame 53. Pivotally connected to the treadle 786 is a multipart rod 792 hav- 'ing a head portion 794 slidable in a rod housing portion 796 pivotally connected to an arm 798 of a lever 806 journaled on a bearing shaft 802 secured to the main frame 53. Arranged in the housing portion 796 of the the event that the work is thin, by the engagement of a rear arm of the lever 800 with a screw 805 adjustably positioned in the main frame 53, and continued downward pressure is exerted against the treadle 786 as will appear later. Secured to the rear arm of the lever 800, which arm corresponds to the arm (110) disclosed in Patent No. 2,215,524, is a link 296 which depresses, through a lever 298, a shaft 300, a lever 225 and other operating mechanism, the clamps 54, 56 and the presser members 60, 62, 64 and 66 against the heel seat portion of the outsole on the crease plates 42, 44 in order initially to force the work against said plates preparatory to operating the machine through its power cycle.

The treadle 786 has secured to it a pin 806 which extends through a slot 808 at the lower end of a rod 810 which is pivotally connected to an arm 812 of a lever 814 journaled on the shaft 802. The lever 814 includes a second arm 816 into which is threaded a screw 818 adapted to engage a trip lever 820 of the clutch 701 which is constructed and arranged when engaged to rotate a shaft 822 (FIGS. 2 and 12) through two revolutions. Secured to the shaft 822 is a bevel gear 824 which meshes with a bevel gear 826 secured to a shaft 226 having fixedly mounted on it the barrel cam 224, said shaft 226 and barrel cam 224 corresponding respectively to the shaft (226) and the barrel cam (224) disclosed in said Patent 2,215,524.

When the rod 792 is lowered by depressing the treadle 786 the heel seat portion 30 of the outsole 32 of the shoe 34 positioned in the machine is clamped in said machine as above described. At this point the operator may release the positioned and clamped work in the machine, in the event that said work is not properly located, by removing his foot from the treadle 786. When the operator has positioned and initially clamped the work in the machine he further depresses the treadle 786, the spring 804 being compressed and the pin 806 operating against the rod 810 at the lower end of the slot 808 to depress this rod whereby to cause the clutch to be tripped for initiating the power cycle of the machine. During the first part of the power cycle of the machine the shoulder forming knives 72 are moved inwardly alternately to form the heel breast receiving shoulders 74 on the outsole 32 by mechanism disclosed in detail in said Patent 2,215,524.

After the shoulder forming knives 72 have been withdrawn from the work the forward end of the power operated lever 212 is automatically depressed thereby lowering the vertical slides 160 which carry the front clamp members 52 and the front presser members 58 and which until this time have been held in their raised positions so as not to interfere with the movement of the shoulder forming knives 72. As the vertical slides 160 are depressed their abutment faces 309 engage the abutment faces 311 of the carrier slides 178 with the result that during downward movement of the slides 160 the right and left clamping members 52, 54, and 56 force the margin of the heel seat portion of the outsole with additional pressure against the crease plates 42, 44 and the right and left presser members 58, 60, 62, 64 and 66 move downwardly until the central part of the heel seat portion of the outsole has been forced through the U- shaped opening 50.

As the barrel cam 224 continues to rotate in response to the tripping of the clutch, the back knife 78 is moved forwardly through mechanism operatively connecting this knife to the barrel cam 224 and disclosed in detail in said Patent 2,215,524 and is then retracted to its rear starting or rest position and the forward end of the lever 212 is then moved to its raised starting position. When the heel seat fitting operation has been completed the operator removes his foot from the treadle 786 thus causing the front end of the treadle and accordingly the front end of the lever 225 to be raised by the spring 788 to their starting positions.

The operator then closes the switch 704 with his left hand and accordingly automatically opens, through the mechanism above described, the heel gage 88 preparatory to removing the heel 36 from the gage. Before releasing the plunger 705 of the normally open switch 704 the operator sometimes places in the then open heel gage 88 the heel 36 to be attached to the next shoe which is to have its heel seat fitted in the machine.

In order initially to adjust the machine in accordance with the size and the style of the heel 36 measured in the heel gage 88 and preparatory to depressing the treadle 786 to clamp the shoe with preliminary pressure in the machine before starting the machine through its power cycle, the operator depresses the plunger 7 05 of the switch 704 to close said switch causing, through mechanism above disclosed, the lever 720 to move counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9, first to move the sectors 92 which carry right and left sets of crease plates 42, 44, right and left sets of clamps 52, C4 and 56 and right and left sets of clamp members 53, 60, 62, 64 and 66 equal distances away from each other against the action of the spring 700, outward movement of said sectors being limited by the engagement of a shoulder of the rod 98 with the main frame. When the sectors 92 have moved to their outward or open positions the pin 734 secured to the rod 718 has been moved substantially into engagement with the lower end of the slot 732. Accordingly continued counterclockwise movement of the actuating lever 720 causes, through mechanism above described, the rod 497 to be depressed against the action of the spring 736 thus causing the arm 628 to be swung forwardly away from the stop 616, the back gage 89 to be moved forwardly along the gnideway 91 and the slides 192, which are operatively connected to the rear crease plates 44, the clamps 54, 56 and the presser members 60, 62, 64 and 66 to be moved forwardly. Further depression of the rod 497 causes the abutment slide 287 to move to its rear or open position and the arms 465 of the levers 466 to move away from each other to their open positions. The operator, while holding the plunger 705 depressed to maintain the switch 704 closed, places the heel, which is to be attached to the shoe to be operated upon, in the heel gage 88, the rear end of the heel forcing the centralizing slide 438 rearward against spring action, the heel, after being placed on the platform 428 being released by the operator thus allowing it to be moved forward by the centralizing slide until its heel breast engages the breast gage 432.

The operator then releases. the plunger 705 of the switch 704 with the result that the actuating lever 720 is swung clockwise as viewed in FIG. 9 by the spring 700 and thus perm-its the rod 497 to be raised by the action of the spring 736 with the result that the heel positioned in the heel gages is measured lengthwise and widthwise respectively in said heel gage by the abutment 287 and the arms 465 of the lever 466 thus setting the stops 616 and 124 respectively in their measuring positions. Further elevation of the rod 497 under the action of the spring 736 causes the arm 628 to swing clockwise as viewed in FIG. 6 into measuring engagement with the stop 616 and to set the crease plates 44, the back gage 89, the clamps 54, 56 and the presser members 60, 62, 64 and 66 in their proper operating positions lengthwise of the U-shaped opening 50 of said crease plates. As this occurs the multipart rod 718 is raised by the action of the spring 700 causing, through mechanism above described, the rod 98 to be lowered and accordingly left and right sectors 92, which carry the left and right crease plates 42, 44, the left and right clamps 52, 54 and 56 and the left and right presser members 58, 60, 62, 64

and 66, to be moved inwardly until the screw 220 carried by the right sector engages the stop 124 thus properly positioning the left and right sets of crease plates, clamps and presser members in accordance with the width of the heel in the heel gage.

Having set the machine to fit the heel seat of the shoe for the reception of the measured heel the operator depresses the treadle 786 first initially to clamp the positioned shoe in the machine and thento trip the clutch 701 to cause the machine to operate through its power cycle as above described whereby to fit the heel seat of the outsole for the reception of the heel. The operator then removes the shoe from the machine and depresses the plunger of the switch 88 preparatory to removing the heel, which is to be attached to the shoe, from the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A heel seat fitting machine comprising right and left crease plates which form a U-shaped opening and are movable toward and away from each other to vary the width of said opening, spring actuated means for con stantly urging the right and left crease plates toward each other to a closed setting, a gage comprising members adapted to measure a heel widthwise, spring actuated means for constantly urging said members toward each other to close positions in which they are forced against opposite sides of the heel in the heel gage, a stop operatively connected to one of said members and adapted to be positioned in accordance with the width of the heel in the heel gage, power means for moving, against the action of said first-named spring actuated means, the right and left crease plates away from each other and, against the action of said second-named spring actuated means, the members of the heel gage away from each other, and manually actuated means depressible to render said power means active whereby to move against the action of said first-named spring actuated means said crease plates away from each other and for moving against the action of said second-named spring actuated means the members away from each other, said manually actuated means when released being adapted to render said power means inactive whereby to allow said second-named spring actuated means to move the members toward each other to measure the heel widthwise and also to allow said firstnamed spring actuated means to move the crease plates to a closed setting determined by said stop.

2. In a heel seat fitting machine, a gage comprising an abutment movable from an open setting to a closed setting to measure a heel lengthwise and arms movable from open settings to closed settings to measure the heel widthwise, a first stop operatively connected to said abutment, a second stop operatively connected to said arms, a platen which comprises opposed pairs of front and rear crease plates forming a U-shaped opening and adapted to support the heel seat portion of an attached outsole of a shoe, a pair of carriers on which said pairs of front and rear crease plates respectively are mounted and which are mounted for movement between an open setting and a closed setting determined by said second-named stop, spring actuated means for constantly biasing the carriers to their closed setting, spring actuated means for biasing the abutment and arms of the gage to their closed settings and the rear crease plates to rearward positions with relation to their associated front crease plates, a switch positioned adjacent the gage, and power-operated means responsive to the closing of said switch for moving against the action of said second-named spring actuated means the abutment and the arms of the gage away from each other to their open settings to permit the insertion of a heel in the gage and also for moving the rear crease plates forwardly to inactive positions with relation to the front crease plates and for moving against the action of said first-named spring actuated means the carriers to open settings, said second named spring actuated means being rendered active in response to the opening of the switch to cause the abutment and the arms to be forced against the heel to set the first and second named stops and to cause the rear crease plates to move to predetermined positions with relation to the front crease plates in accordance with the positions of the first-named stop, said first-named spring actuated means being rendered active in response to the opening of the switch to cause the'carriers to move to their closed positions in accordance With the position of said second-named stop.

3. In a heel seat fitting machine, a back gage, right and left carriers mvable toward and away from each other, right and left sets of crease plates mounted re spectively on the right and left carriers and forming a platen having a U-shaped opening, right and left sets of clamps mounted respectively on the right and left carriers and cooperating with the crease plates to clamp a margin of a heel seat portion of an outsole of a shoe positioned lengthwise in the machine by said back gage, right and left sets of presser members mounted respectively on the right and left carriers and adapted to force the median part of the heel seat portion of the outsole through the U-shaped opening, a heel gage having an abutment for measuring a heel lengthwise and side arms which are mounted for equal and opposite movement and are adapted to measure a heel in the gage widthwise, a first stop operatively connected to the abutment, a second stop operatively connected to the side arms, spring actuated means for moving the back gage as well as one or more of the crease plates, clamps and presser members associated with each of said right and left sets of plates, clamps and presser members into different operating positions on the carrier in accordance with the setting of the first stop, spring actuated means for constantly urging the carriers toward each other until limited by said second stop, fluid pressure powered means for moving against the action of said spring actuated means the carriers equal distances away from each other and for thereafter moving the rear abutment and the side arms of the heel gage away from each other to open said gage preparatory to inserting a heel in said gage, and a switch which is positioned adjacent to said gage for rendering when the switch is closed said fluid pressure powered means effective to cause the carriers to be moved away from each other and to open said gage against the action of said spring activated means, said fluid pressure powered means when the switch is open rendering said first-named spring actuated means effective to cause said abutment and the arms of the heel gage to be moved toward each other whereby to measure the heel lengthwise and widthwise to set said stops in predetermined positions and to move the right and left sets of crease plates, clamps and presser members into predetermined positions on the carriers and also to move the back gage in accordance with the setting of the first stop and also to render said second-named spring actuated means efiective to cause said carriers to move equal distances toward each other to positions controlled by the setting of said second stop whereby to set the right and left carriers and accordingly right and left sets of crease plates, clamps and presser members in predetermined positions in accordance with the setting of the second stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,215,524 Hazelton Sept. 24, 1 940 

